"Hatto Machida," a striking new symbol for the city, has opened as the "Machida Station Front Community Hub"
~Realized through public-private partnership, a new hub connecting the city and its people~

Machida Town Development Corporation (Headquarters: Machida City, Tokyo; Representative Director: President and CEO: Joichi Ishizaka; hereinafter “Machida Town Development Corporation”) served as the project owner and operator, while Nikken Sekkei Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo; Representative Director and President:Atsushi Ohmatsu; hereinafter “Nikkenseki”), served as the architect and provided support in exploring ways to utilize the facility.This facility was realized through long-term, collaborative public-private discussions as part of the Machida Station Area Urban Regeneration and Development Plan. Serving as a hub along the walking route connecting the shopping district and Serigaya Park, it is expected to function as a new symbol of the city, offering city information services, retail spaces, and rest areas.

In the area surrounding Machida Station, against the backdrop of rapid population growth that began in the 1960s, large-scale redevelopment was carried out from the 1970s through the 1980s in conjunction with the relocation of the Japanese National Railways’ Hara-Machida Station,and the subsequent construction of urban planning roads shaped the current environment around Machida Station. This area has become one of the Tokyo metropolitan area’s leading commercial hubs, where large-scale commercial facilities coexist with bustling shopping streets. Until now, urban development has focused primarily on “quantitative expansion” based on the assumption of continued population growth.However, going forward, sustainable urban development that addresses social changes such as “population decline” and “aging” is required. To ensure that Machida City’s central business district does not become overshadowed by surrounding cities and continues to be chosen by many people, it is necessary to develop the city into one with even more diverse attractions while maintaining and utilizing the resources cultivated through past urban development efforts.In particular, Hara-Machida Avenue presented several challenges: it bisects the pedestrian-priority shopping street that extends to both sides; there is a lack of rest areas where visitors can leisurely enjoy shopping and dining; and there is a need to create a space serving as an access route to Serigaya Park, one of the area’s surrounding resources.

In addition, to explore ways to utilize the area as a relaxing space for visitors and generate a lively atmosphere, we conducted a pilot project through a public-private partnership. In the pilot project carried out in 2021, a “parklet” was installed on Haramachida Avenue※2を設置し、日常的な使われ方を検証しました。その結果、集客を目的としたイベントは交通の妨げになるなど課題もありましたが、利用者は休憩、飲食、読書などを行っており、普段の道路上では見られないアクティビティの可能性が明らかになりました。さらに2022年に実施した実証実験では、原町田大通りの沿道空間の一角に、民間交番に見立てた小規模なマーケット機能を持つ休憩スペースを設置しました。そこで、日常的な使われ方や情報発信拠点としての機能等の検証に加え、町田市内で個人事業を営む方も交えた議論を行い、事業者同士のマッチングによる互いの相乗効果並びに未来の道路空間の利用における可能性を探りました。
実証実験の結果、通り沿いにあったほうが良い機能として緑(89.2％)、ベンチ(85.4％)、キッチンカー(69.6%)などが挙げられました。また、使われ方の面では植栽や可動式ベンチを採用することで柔軟な空間設計が可能となり、出店者、利用者双方のメリットが生まれることがわかりました。さらに、情報発信拠点として機能するために、人が立ち止まる仕掛けが必須ということがわかりました。以上の実証実験の結果を踏まえ、地域住民や事業者が主体的に関与しやすく、人々のよりどころとなるような「はっとまちだ」を設計しました。

※1 国土交通省「2040年、道路の景色が変わる」https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/vision/pdf/01.pdf
※2 車道の一部を転用した、休憩や飲食ができる「人」のための空間

“Hatto Machida” is a pioneering initiative on a national scale that transformed private police boxes—originally placed along roads to maintain local public safety—into new spaces for community interaction, with the goal of creating a “town that’s fun to walk through.”
Hatto Machida features three service counters—“Information,” “Takeout,” and “Shop”—along with a central plaza called “Spot,” all within a single space. It aims to serve as a “gathering place” where passersby can pause and instinctively feel a sense of surprise and curiosity.
It is a place where people can experience the “here and now” of Machida, and its distinctive architectural design is expected to make it a symbol for both Machida residents and visitors.

Functions of Hatto Machida
“Information”: Staff from the public corporation are stationed here to provide directions and information about shops and events around the station.
“Takeout”: Restaurants in the city, as well as aspiring entrepreneurs Private and businesses looking to start up in Machida, operate takeout-only stalls selling light meals and snacks
“Shop”: Products from local businesses and craft artists are showcased and sold, along with the creators’ stories
“Spot”: Benches and landscaping are installed to create a space where pedestrians can casually stop by. The area can also host local events and workshops.

“Hatto Machida” is a place where passersby can’t help but stop in their tracks to make new discoveries and experience surprises that make them say, “Huh?” It serves as a “small haven” where people can drop by casually, as well as a “point of connection between people and the town” where they can gather information about the town and connect with the community as a whole.It was designed to be “a place where people and the town connect through small-scale activities,” allowing people to naturally find peace of mind in their daily lives. Furthermore, by incorporating a micro-market function right on the street, it promotes new interactions and discoveries within the town and plays a role in revitalizing nearby shops and the local community.With its original design—featuring a scale, shape, and materials not previously seen in Machida’s downtown area—it has become highly visible and a striking presence within the cityscape. It is expected to become a symbol of the city by leaving a lasting impression on people and naturally spreading through social media and other channels.Through the power of design, we aimed to create an opportunity for citizens to feel pride in and a sense of attachment to their city.

Going forward, “Hatto Machida” aims to serve as a place that connects the town and its people, fostering small discoveries and interactions in everyday life, and enhancing the appeal of the entire town.
The Machida Community Development Corporation envisions “Hatto Machida” serving as a landmark—a direct benefit—that acts as a hub for circulation, connecting visitors to shopping districts and parks by providing information on downtown events and introducing local products and businesses. At the same time, as a ripple effect, it aims to attract a diverse range of visitors, promote use of surrounding stores,an improvement in the perceived sense of safety, the opening of unique and charming shops, and the creation of new community-driven initiatives.
Through this project, Nikken Sekkei aimed to transform the road space into a pedestrian-friendly sidewalk where people enjoy walking, thereby fostering the discovery of new urban charms, creating a lively atmosphere, and positively impacting the local economy. By leveraging the insights gained from this initiative, we intend to continue supporting the expansion of walkable cities in various regions while staying attuned to each area’s unique characteristics.

The Machida Urban Development Corporation was established in 1999 with funding from Machida City, the national government, and local businesses, with the aim of alleviating the shortage of parking spaces around Machida Station and revitalizing commercial activities.The corporation owns the “Poppo Machida Building,” which features a self-parking facility with 227 spaces and a shared cargo handling area, as well as the “Plaza Machida Building,” which it co-owns with Machida City.In 2019, the corporation was designated by Machida City as an Urban Regeneration Promotion Corporation to advance projects aimed at creating a new “face” for Machida centered on Hara-Machida Avenue. As part of the Machida Station Area Urban Regeneration and Development Plan (formulated in 2021), the corporation launched an area management advertising initiative in 2022 to promote the city’s appeal by installing digital signage andand banner flags along Hara-Machida Avenue in 2022 to promote the city’s appeal. Furthermore, following a study on the utilization of a privately operated police box, we opened the “Machida Station Front Community Hub: Hatto Machida” in 2025.

Nikken Sekkei is a professional services firm engaged in architectural and civil engineering design and supervision, urban design, and related survey, planning, and consulting services.For 120 years since our founding in 1900, we have been committed to creating value through “Social and Environmental Design,” which seeks solutions to both apparent and latent social issues, in order to meet the needs of society and the diverse requests of our clients.To date, we have been involved in a wide range of projects in Japan, China, ASEAN, and the Middle East, and in recent years, we have expanded our operations to India and Europe. In March 2021, we issued a “Climate Emergency Declaration” as part of our efforts toward a decarbonized society.

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